1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a warning system designed to be interconnected between a towed and towing vehicle of conventional design such that the relative orientation of the vehicles may be regulated through the activation of some type of audible or like alarm system in physical communication with the operator of the towing vehicle, whereby damage may be prevented through inadvertent collision of the vehicle due to a "jackknife" situation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the use of the automobile as a towing vehicle has become increasingly popular. More specifically, trailer-type vehicles such as house trailers, storage-type trailers and various other structural equivalents have become the subject of wide usage, especially throughout the United States. This has been especially evident in the leasure trailer industry wherein the towing of mobile homes or like trailers is more and more prevalent.
Many technical problems, however, have arisen wherein the conventional, private automobile is utilized as a towing vehicle for various types of trailer structures. A particular area lies in the possibility of causing damage either to the towing vehicle or the trailer due to an inadvertent collision between the two vehicles. This most commonly occurs in what can be termed a "jackknife" situation. More frequently, when the driver of a towing vehicle tries to back up or travel in a reverse direction while the towed vehicle is attached to the automobile, control of the direction of travel of the towed vehicle is sometimes cumbersome. This frequently results in an inadvertent and sometimes initially unnoticed hazardous positioning of the vehicle during such an operation. Collision frequently occurs by the rear of the towing vehicle colliding with the front face of the vehicle being towed.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to indicate in some efficient practical manner to the operator of the towing vehicle when the relative positions of the vehicles are dangerously close. Frequently, this cannot be determined merely by viewing from the operator's position within the towing vehicle.
There does exist in the prior art a number of warning systems which are generally directed to indicating the relative orientations of a towed and towing vehicle during travel. However, the majority of these warning systems are generally directed to the indication or prevention of "fishtailing" normally occurring during straight-line travel of the two vehicles. Such warning system generally sense the sway or orientation of the vehicle being towed and this information, when reaching a hazardous degree, is transmitted to the operator of the towed vehicle so that corrective action can be taken.
Patents disclosing general wording systems of this device are disclosed in Jubenville, U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,003 . Similar prior art and commercially available anit-fishtail devices which are primarily directed to the orientation of the vehicle being towed are represented in the Sparr patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,521.
In attempting to develop efficient and practically operating warning systems, a number of highly sophisticated and complex devices have been designed. Such devices include electrical switching assemblies wherein the relative positions of the vehicles are indicated to the operator of the vehicle whereby it is important to give the driver or operator an adequate means to determine the attitude of the trailer during any manuevering of the towed and towing vehicles. Structures of this type are represented in the prior art in the U.S. Patents to Savelli, U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,088 and Marus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,921.
While it is assumed that structures of the type set forth above are operable and perhaps practical within certain applications, it is readily acknowledged in the industry that a number of the existing, commercially available warning systems are frequently too complex thereby resulting in high price of maintenance and initial production. Also, due to the potential hazards associated with the traveling of a towed and towing vehicle reliability must be of prime concern in the operation of such a warning system. To insure reliability and durability in operation under what may be considered generally adverse situations, the device must be sufficiently rugged to have a meaningful, operable life while at the same time be of sufficiently simple design and structure to be adequately maintained and purchased at a reasonable cost.